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We’ve all experienced that feeling when a song instantly transports us back to the moment we first heard it and became completely hooked. For Linda & Norm, “Moments to Want You” by the Jerry Lillard Band carried the warm vibes of a Parisian summer in 2019. Fast-forward to 2025, they revisited the track with a complete twist, nudging it toward an AOR resurgence for the label’s Soft Rock for Hard Times series.

The original version by the Jerry Lillard Band was released in 1981 on a German rock sampler, created in protest against the closure of their rehearsal space in an old school building. “Moments to Want You” stands out for its haunting melody, heartfelt lyrics, and compelling arrangements. Inspired by these elements, Linda & Norm cast the song in a new light, leaning into ’80s-tinged guitar pop à la Trevor Horn, with hints of psych bedroom pop in a distinctly Californian fashion.

Joining the release are two favorite artists of theirs, further expanding the song’s potential into dancefloor territory. Sydney’s own DD Mirage delivers the smoky, dubby disco blend we’ve admired since their debut album, while seasoned producer Justin Van Der Volgen brings the B-side magic, echoing the authentic stripped-back dub approach in the vein of Pettibone and Baker. To round it out, an instrumental version, along with an extended mix courtesy of Justin, complements the release, making it a 12” worth pulling out whenever the moment calls.

back in !

Norm Talley returns to his Upstairs Asylum label alongside fellow US house pioneer Delano Smith for Straight Up No Chaser, an eight-track opus featuring four solo cuts each.

Talley's gritty, dubbed-out, low-rolling house style is present and correct throughout with the loopy chords of 'Blak Bottom' getting things going, 'The Flip' getting more cavernous and aqueous and 'ISO Vision' leaning into dub techno.

'Believe It' is a soulful deep house looper, while Smith gets bubbly with 'The Bassline', lays down thumping kicks on 'Travels 23' and his trademark synth smears on 'The Drive' while 'Remembrance' is a heady dub house cut that locks you into a state of perfect hypnosis.

Nach zwei Jahren Krise in Deutschland und Europa, verschobenen und gecancelten Shows, veröffentlichen die Saarländer nach vier Jahren „Abstinenz“ ihr zehntes Vollalbum. Mit Erklingen der ersten Töne des Intros zum Song „Zurück an die Front“ ist klar wer hier am Werk ist - Wieso auf Experimente setzen, wenn es gut ist wie es ist! Titel wie “Töte was Du liebst“, “abnorm“, „Voll auf die 12“ und “Von Anfang an“ bieten eine komplette Stilübersicht des Schaffens der Brüder von knallhart und schnell, über Hoffnung schöpfend und aufmunternd, bis hin zu ruhig, einfühlsam und bewegend. Mit der Ballade “Das, was Du verpasst hast“ setzen Pascal und Co. wieder einen ruhigen Abschluss, der es in sich hat und eine Lebensphilosophie mit auf den Weg gibt! Der Hit des Albums ist auch zugleich die einfachste Nummer, drei Akkorde die den Text zu "Als wir noch jung war'n" untermalen, definitiv DER Live Ohrwurm, der jede Party sprengt!
Das Album erscheint als CD+DVD im Digipack, welche auch in der CD Box Edition enthalten ist, weiterhin im Vinylformat mit Gatefold limitiert auf 666 teuflisch gute Einheiten, LP Box und natürlich als CD im Jewelcase.
Die Box beinhaltet neben exklusivem Inhalt auch ein Geheimfach unter doppeltem Boden zum Verstauen von allem Möglichen, was nicht auf den ersten Blick gesehen werden soll.

Ebenfalls recht exklusiv ist die Livepräsenz der KrawallBrüder in 2023 denn es werden nur 5 Orte in Deutschland gespielt, dazu gibt es eine Handvoll verlesene Auslandsauftritte.






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Nach zwei Jahren Krise in Deutschland und Europa, verschobenen und gecancelten Shows, veröffentlichen die Saarländer nach vier Jahren „Abstinenz“ ihr zehntes Vollalbum. Mit Erklingen der ersten Töne des Intros zum Song „Zurück an die Front“ ist klar wer hier am Werk ist - Wieso auf Experimente setzen, wenn es gut ist wie es ist! Titel wie “Töte was Du liebst“, “abnorm“, „Voll auf die 12“ und “Von Anfang an“ bieten eine komplette Stilübersicht des Schaffens der Brüder von knallhart und schnell, über Hoffnung schöpfend und aufmunternd, bis hin zu ruhig, einfühlsam und bewegend. Mit der Ballade “Das, was Du verpasst hast“ setzen Pascal und Co. wieder einen ruhigen Abschluss, der es in sich hat und eine Lebensphilosophie mit auf den Weg gibt! Der Hit des Albums ist auch zugleich die einfachste Nummer, drei Akkorde die den Text zu "Als wir noch jung war'n" untermalen, definitiv DER Live Ohrwurm, der jede Party sprengt!








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Andy Shauf"s songs unfold like short fiction: they"re densely layered with colorful characters and a rich emotional depth. On his new studio album Norm, Andy Shauf"s songwriting veers decidedly more oblique, hinting at sinister happenings and dark motivations. The result: an intoxicating collection of mellifluous melodies and beguiling lyrics. Levitating, synth-laden atmospherics drive Shauf"s storytelling on "Norm," mixed by Neal Pogue (Tyler, the Creator). In 2016, The Party catapulted Andy Shauf to indie notoriety, followed by 2020"s The Neon Skyline which landed Andy Shauf performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS This Morning: Saturday, a Polaris Prize nomination, and mentions on several best-of lists - among them, a track on Barack Obama"s playlist and praise from Pitchfork, Mojo Magazine, France Inter, Rolling Stone Germany, Q Magazine, and more.

Andy Shauf"s songs unfold like short fiction: they"re densely layered with colorful characters and a rich emotional depth. On his new studio album Norm, Andy Shauf"s songwriting veers decidedly more oblique, hinting at sinister happenings and dark motivations. The result: an intoxicating collection of mellifluous melodies and beguiling lyrics. Levitating, synth-laden atmospherics drive Shauf"s storytelling on "Norm," mixed by Neal Pogue (Tyler, the Creator). In 2016, The Party catapulted Andy Shauf to indie notoriety, followed by 2020"s The Neon Skyline which landed Andy Shauf performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS This Morning: Saturday, a Polaris Prize nomination, and mentions on several best-of lists - among them, a track on Barack Obama"s playlist and praise from Pitchfork, Mojo Magazine, France Inter, Rolling Stone Germany, Q Magazine, and more.

Tensor Norm is back. In this ocassion, we visit differents locations of the world geography to bring you an EP full of electro, breaks, acid and IDM.

Side A goes into the coordinates of dark electro in different ways. "Cell Reprogramming" by Clone Theory (one of its members is Heuristic Audio) is a spatial track with smooth percussion, a heavy, oscillating bassline and minimal melodic design. On "Automorphism", Sigma_ALgebra resorts to smooth percussion and a drone-like oscillating bassline to generate a floating feel, over which choppy, lightning-like melodic profiles occur. Finally, north american LectrO cOd-E, speeds up the tempo to expose the military round bass, synth twitches and vocoder transmissions of “Morphology”.

Side B is incided in borderline spaces with the incorporation of acid sounds as main elements. After an opening that programs the rhythmic structure and adds pad atmosphere, "Amenacid" by Liðvarð aka DJ VLR ratchets up the tension through a brief acid line modified steadily but subtly. The EP closes with "Phanaire Luses", a track with typical IDM resources with which, through the accumulation of bleep-like emissions, acid figures, sparks and amorphous sounds, Jaquarius builds a psychedelic track.

Detroit Deep House from New label Upstairs Asylum Recordings.

4 tracks from the 2011 Mixmode release (and the more rare City Boy ) available again !

Continuing the deeper explorations of their last couple releases, BLR invites Delusions of Grandeur mainstay Norm de Plume to join the party.

Hear Us Now is a four-tracker offering flavours for every occasion, from the anthemic title track and fierce 'Meanwhile Uptown' to the moodier midtempo action of 'Strange Land' and 'April'.

A1. Muggy Detroit Heat (Mixed by Norm Talley, produced by Omar-S)

B1. Jus Hangin (Produced by Moodymann & Norm Talley, Mashed up by D'Julz)

4 tracks from the 2011 Mixmode release (and the more rare City Boy ) available again !

anded Records is delighted to welcome back the legendary Norm Talley with a very special, limited edition 12″ vinyl masterpiece from one of the originators and true players of the Detroit House music scene! This release, as with all his releases, is written and produced through Norm’s fully analogue set-up. NO computers, NO digital limiters, No gimmicks. Just pure, warm, deep Detroit goodness. LTD edition 180g vinyl.

Norm De Plume has been quietly making a name for himself the last eight years with remixes for Tornado Wallace and Ben La Desh and EP's for Kolour LTD and his own vinyl only imprint Plumage winning him a solid fol- lowing along the way. His passion for all things disco and deep, dubby, un- derground house inspired by his musical hero Ron Hardy feeds through into his production style as well as his recently formed Peaches & Prunes party which boasts an audiophile sound system and vinyl-only sets from the DJ's. So when the opportunity arose to do a full EP with Norm we jumped at it. Here we present you with the Castlecrag EP, a nod to the Londoner's new adoptive home of Sydney, Australia, and whilst his sound may be more akin to the recent musical movements of Melbourne, the laid-back sun-kissed melting pot of The Harbour City certainly shine through in the two originals and Folamour remix on offer here.
Title track Castlecrag leads the charge with a deep mood-setter driven by a cowbell riff and filtering pads. The spacious mix and less is more arrange- ment ensures that the drums and rolling bassline punch through making for a track that sounds both unique yet accessible and demonstrates Norm's sense of musicality as well as DJ instinct for setting the right mood on the dancefloor. Next up we have Whole In One which treads a similar path whilst dropping the BPM's a touch and building up layers of synth strings to create a subtle yet engaging track to immerse yourself in. Finally, man of the moment Folamour gets busy on the remix of Whole In One working his magic by upping the tempo and going heavy on the jazz- inspired drums. By laying down a driving groove and pushing the string stabs to the fore, the Lyonnais producer behind the wonderful Moonrise Hill Material label has delivered a fresh-sounding take that will work like magic on discerning dance floors out there.

Detroit producer Norm Talley shares his debut album, Norm-A-Lise' on FXHE Records. Having started his career when disco was king, Talley's real life influences over his 25+ year career have included the originations of house through various iterations. His reference points as one of the original members of the West 6 Mile Detroit crew and his dedication to his Analog only studio position him as one of the more dynamic Detroit artists who's finally taking the time to release a complete project for his long awaiting fans.

The album features 14 original tracks with influences of disco, house, and beyond taking his signature infectious style deeper. On top of all of that, the album includes a track written by FXHE label boss Omar S aka Alex Smith featuring L 'Renee.

Owner operator of Finale Sessions Music Michael Zucker has brought you a sister label called future sessions music to showcase his own music with close friends and family and we are excited to able to share this label with you. Starting with our first release with the detroit veteren Norm Talley and Finale Sessions veteren Michael Zucker and we will start with Norm Talley's music first with the track called 'power 'it has the sublime detroit deep sound with its sharp chords and that pumping deep kick and claps and it also has additional work from another detroit legend delano smith but what makes this track is the fantastic vocals from the soul. Track two 'lock jaw' is just raw beatdown late night track with deep chicago classic sound with a pumping kicks and mind altering synth. Then next we have Michael Zuckers first track 'parisian nights' with it's classic filtered classic chicago sound with proper pads and chords with a vocal drifting in and out of the spectrum . Track two ' thought process' is just an amazing deep inspired melodic trip with key's and that classic b4 organ that sets the tone for the pads and that lifted filtered sound . We are excited to be able to work together Norm Talley and myself and we hope you enjoy this journey also.

Following the overwhelming success of the Fantastic Man EP, your pals at Kolour Recordings waste no time what-so-ever in returning Kolour LTD to the frey. For LTD006 we're proud to feature our friends from Delusions of Grandeur in Norm
De Plume featuring a remix by the mysterious Franc Spangler.
limited edition "PURPLE" vinyl so, you know the deal - ACT FAST! More soul than a sock with a hole!
DJ SUPPORT:
SLEAZYBEATS / THE TORTOISE / DEEP SPACE ORCHESTRA / TOOMY DISCO /
78 EDITS / CRAIG SMITH (6TH BOROUGH) / IRON CURTIS / TORNADO WALLACE DEADLY SINS / ANDY HART & MANY MORE...

For our 50th release on Delusions Of Grandeur we're pleased to bring you seven exclusive tracks from a mighty-fine collection of both existing DOG artists and veritable newcomers alike.
Part Two opens with Underground Quality key player Son Of Sound who brings a bucketful of attitude on Under The Son, laying down a rough-edged groove and getting on one with his vintage keys.
Up next we have Sebastien Vorhaus & Ponty Mython who bring us the beast that is I'm The Slime. Easing us into things with gentle rhodes samples and a skippy groove, Vorhaus (of Soul Of Hex fame) and Mython soon develop things with hints of acid before unleashing a jazz piano riff that can be best described as unhinged.
Flipping over the mysterious Zepp001 hunt and gatherer brings us Enemy. There's elements of disco with bouncing syndrum fills and a mysterious mood prevails as shakers rattle, bells chime and congas slap but when the bassline drops it's clear we're into some serious future s**t here.
Finally, we have our very own Norm De Plume who lays down a bad-boy groove with a rocking bassline, clattering cowbells and tension-building pads bringing an intense build and rounding off our 50th release in fine fashion, we hope you agree.

vinyl Edition of "The Best" pressed across 4 x 12"s with a poster - Omar S' newest album simply reflects the singer, songwriter/producer's brilliant career- always vogue, forever moving forward, yet transcending trend to find its place among the classics. The 11 selections gracing album, produced by Omar S is just what you never expect from a modern entertainment LEGEND!!!!

Alessio 'AlexSoul' Pagliaroli returns to Whasdat Music this time with the distinctive voice of none other than Arnold Jarvis. This piece simply titled "Tonite" has already become a crowd favorite of Terry Hunter's 'BANG' party Sundays in Chicago, received major play from Kai Alce and Norm Talley at Movement festival in Detroit, and is in the rotation of other top DJs: Louie Vega, Moodymann, Rick Wilhite, just to name a few. AlexSoul's Main Vocal and Dub bring a powerful sensation; Thumping baseline, and traveling synths - Arnold Jarvis' Vocal is as good today as it was with the amazing 'Inspiration'. Following up is Pirahnahead's 'Wayback Mix', which takes us back to the Paradise Garage (and one of Larry's favorites) complete with crowd ambience, - those who know this classic re-touch will be in for a surprise. Last but not least - is Norm Talley's 'DeepTroit' Mix - get ready cause this is DETROIT in all it's glory, and sets the tone; A dark room, atmosphere and a system on bump, as soon as you press play. Real Right.

From the full length album, Staight Vacationing by Andy Vaz, Soiree Records is proud to present the unreleased mixes of Feelin' featuringvocalist Eva Soul.

DJ DIE SOON is the apocalyptic alter-ego Daisuke Imamura, whose performances of masked malice have been a fixture in the Berlin underground for the past decade. His latest record My Brothel The Wind takes inspiration from Sun Ra at his most grotesque, conjuring a distorted phantasmagoria with an eclectic crew of compatriots like Rully Shabara, Sara Persico, and longtime collaborator Kiki Hitomi. Film director Hiroo Tanaka’s visual contributions in the album art, poster, and music video complete the album’s narrative, telling a story not of villainy but of phantom caprice in a dying world.
My Brothel The Wind shows DJ DIE SOON as an alchemist of distortion, transmuting the club-forward beats of his 2020 debut Kappa Slap and the seething horrorscapes of DIEMAJIN, his 2022 collaboration with Tokyo vocalist MA. Imamura’s obsession with noise stems from his upbringing in Tokyo, where he grew up hearing the deafening roar of trains every day. “The buildings were really tall, so the sounds reflected so much and it was so loud that you couldn’t even have a conversation on the phone. Hearing this noise every minute when living in this flat, it became a normal thing,” he says. While most would content themselves with avoiding loudness, DJ DIE SOON seeks to unpack its visceral potential.
DJ DIE SOON’s subterranean productions form a monstrous gestalt with the eclectic contributions of his network of co-conspirators. “Unfinished” and “Directions” are pulsating chimeras that highlight animalistic vocalizations from Hitomi and Shabara; Italian MC Franco Franco’s verses snake underneath the noisy onslaught. The tectonic textures of “Dandelion Crackers” are courtesy of multi-instrumentalist Laure Boer’s handmade stone synth. Sara Persico’s mangled vocables hang as fleshy reminders of human fragility on “SAQ4IME”; in the Hiroo Tanaka-directed music video, the track’s sonic uncanniness is made cinematic, with an ambient dread that references Hiroshi Teshigahara’s 1964 psychological thriller Woman in the Dunes.
While Sun Ra’s intergalactic Moog reached for the stars, DJ DIE SOON plunges into the depths of hell. “Everybody, Shake Your Body, We Chill At Party” feels like the sonic equivalent of a wax museum burning to the ground, rigid smiles melting into the fire. Rather than a vision of the future, My Brothel The Wind is a laugh-cry of despair in the face of a Hadean present. DJ DIE SOON confronts the world with a new hand-made mask, reborn in the ashes.

NOVA BOSSA: aquele abraço aos ratos vivos stands as a musical capsule centered around the life of a young adult. Moving between MPB, indie pop and alternative rock, its eclecticism perfectly reflects a thirst for discovery and new experiences, while highlighting a sincere search for identity.

NOVA BOSSA acts as a mirror to the contradictions of contemporary youth

between the desire for independence and the fear of abandonment
between rejecting norms and searching for meaning
between solitude and a deep craving for connection
between social disillusionment and creative resilience

The lyrics blend urban poetry, raw introspection and social critique, all carried by a musicality that oscillates between melancholy and energy. Pedro embodies a generation torn between the urge to burn through life and the fear of burning out, desperately trying to find his place in a world he often sees as absurd.
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Better Living Through Chemistry wasn’t just Fatboy Slim’s breakthrough - it helped redefine what electronic music could be in the mainstream. Released in 1996, the album arrived at a pivotal moment in UK club culture, fusing big beat, acid house energy and sample-heavy experimentation into something irreverent, accessible and unmistakably British. Tracks like “Everybody Needs a 303,” “Going Out of My Head,” and “The Weekend Starts Here” captured the anarchic spirit of the era while laying the foundation for a sound that would dominate late-’90s pop culture.

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Norman Cook’s career as Fatboy Slim, BMG will reissue his debut album ‘Better Living Through Chemistry’, also turning 30 in September.

The 2LP will be remastered at half speed, following previous Fatboy Slim classic album remastered reissues and feature new liner notes from journalist Alexis Petridis.

The 2CD will include a bonus disc, b-sides with a brand-new remix with inclusion of the Alexis Petridis liner notes.

Valley of the Sun's sixth studio LP, "The Blacklight Sessions", is a deep dive into the sonic roots of the band who continues to defy genre norms. With tracks ranging from blues jam to psychedelic desert trip to driving stoner riffage, the band continues to demonstrate that their music knows no bounds, nor should it.

Hot Pink Vinyl. Valley of the Sun's sixth studio LP, "The Blacklight Sessions", is a deep dive into the sonic roots of the band who continues to defy genre norms. With tracks ranging from blues jam to psychedelic desert trip to driving stoner riffage, the band continues to demonstrate that their music knows no bounds, nor should it.

Hidden Sounds Record store – with the help of Emotional Recordings – launches the Dark Times label with the first of two club orientated EPs from Canadian brother-production duo Lex and Rew MacCrimmon and their project Alkahest.

Released on their own Post Contemporary label between 1994 – 1996, Alkahest contrasted with the spacious electronica of their influential and still on-going project, Legion Of Green Men.

Growing up in suburban city life in Burlington, Ontario, the MacCrimmon brothers’ interest in music and collecting records started early, always looking for interesting sounds in new places. With a limited local music scene or record stores, the alternative and college radio stations were the only way to discover new music or the type of music they sought.

The German electronic sounds of Kraftwerk, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream were early obsessions, alongside Neu, Cluster (& Eno) and the post punk and synth pop emanating from Britain. The Flying Lizards, John Foxx / Ultravox, Gary Numan and The Normal were favourites, before diving into the 80s industrial experiments of Cabaret Voltaire, Severed Heads, Nurse With Wound and Throbbing Gristle.

Making their own music soon followed, first experimenting with 4 track cassette and digital delay, drum machines and synths soon followed, steadily building their own studio. All these influences merged in the early 90s with the dawn of house and techno and the progression to start the Post Contemporary label launched in 1992.

With the project Legion Of Green Men achieving early success, their diversion with Alkahest explored a post-industrial techno hybrid. Unsubtle, night music, the rhythm and sonic textures are more prominent over melody.

Contact High covers this Alkahest sound, from the 133 bpm trippy, psychedelics of opener Black Tabs, the acid breaks of Ground Zero or the charging nature of closing Séance 333, where all bets are off – together this 4 track EP perfectly captures the early spirit of Canada’s electronic music scene finding its place in dance culture, from the raves of the Toronto’s outer rim to the beaches of Anjuna.

However, in the title cut Contact High, there is something else happening, as electronic dub is explored, where the space in the music, between the beats, is as important at what happens on the surface. A love of this ethereal feeling would lead the brothers to head further in this direction and here is a perfect example of that early journey.

Hackney based Hidden Sounds Records launches – with support from Emotional Recordings – it’s Dark Times label by diving in the the music of Alkahest, a short-lived project from Canadian brother-production duo Lex and Rew MacCrimmon.

For the second EP, the Twisted Up release is re-examined, with a tweaked track list to represent the times and how their sound continues in relevance today. Released in 2 years (1994-1996), Alkahest was the darker side of the MacCrimmon’s productions and allowed them to focus on twisted, psychedelic electronics, away from their main Legion Of Green Men project.

Self-described music obsessives from a young age – lying under a home-made harpsichord, with their heads in the resonator box was an early indication of a love outside the norm. Experiments with forks and pencils on strings – totally unaware of the likes John Cage – highlighted an interest in sound from unusual places.

Anything with a synth notably grabbed their attention, going to the public library to take out BBC Sound Effects and Morton Subotnick albums, sat alongside contacting European mail order catalogues, to grow their knowledge and record collections.

As early productions formed, working under the sound production name of Incarnate, their love of art was just as influential as music. The likes of M.C. Escher, Salvador Dali, Bridget Riley and the Op Art movement, was all part of brothers in their progression to form the Post Contemporary label in 1992.

Following the DIY ethos of the music they had long been buying, their “indie ethic” influences all coalesced in the label, not conforming to one sound or tempo, placed them within the electronic music coming from Canada, but also, out on their own.

Twisted Up expands the Alkahest sound, the title cut a stomping anthem, it’s unrelenting drums and lifting strings a call to arms. The compelling Shake arrives, acid techno rewiring synapsis, dub static between the beats.

On the flip, Twisted Another is just that, a reversion excursion, pushing the psychedelic synthesis to the forefront, stabs call and respond. Closing the EP with the perfectly titled, Kiss My Acid, a journey of industrial bang, reflexed, Alkahest showing their sound is pulsating, widescreen overtures.

Left-field Brooklyn soulful lounge from Numero’s Private Mind Garden. Seven lo-fi gospel meditations that bridge the gap between Shuggie Otis and Otis G . Johnson. Get lost in Lynn Marshall’s wavering falsetto and producer Norman Marcelle’s Lowery-brand organ and primordial drum machines. 1980 never
sounded so heavy.

Live Ones is an LP compilation of refixes and remixes of older material and brand new tracks that have all featured in New Jackson live sets in recent years available on vinyl for the first time.
It features contributions from Rory Sweeney and Rita Lynn and long-term collaborator Richie 'Jape' Egan. Cover photography shot by long time collaborator Rich Gilligan at a New Jackson show in Dublin.
According to New Jackson himself 'This started out as a way to put out new tracks and remixes of older stuff as quickfire digi releases without the pressure of making a cohesive body of work that normally comes with making an album yet ironically I feel this works better as a cohesive vinyl release then my last album proper and features some of my favourite music I've made.'

Norman Blake und Raymond McGinley machen seit 37 Jahren gemeinsam Musik bei Teenage Fanclub, und auch wenn manche Aspekte des Bandlebens mit der Zeit einfacher geworden sind, können ihnen die einfachsten Dinge immer noch einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen. Blake sagt dazu: "Es ist schwierig, wenn es darum geht, sich einen Namen für ein Album auszudenken. Vor allem, wenn man schon 12 davon gemacht hat." Der Titel ,Do Not Dare To Dream" leitet sich ab von Blakes ,I Do Not Dare To Dream", einem mitreißenden, hymnischen Song, der von klangvollen Akustikgitarren getragen und am Ende von einem Duell elektrischer Gitarren begleitet wird, die sich wie eine beruhigende Umarmung umeinander schlingen. Blake erklärt, dass der Titel jene Memes verspotten soll, die die Menschen dazu auffordern, zu träumen, was für ihn irgendwie lächerlich ist. "Ich glaube nicht, dass die Welt so funktioniert." Das 13. Album von Teenage Fanclub ist voller Songs, die ruhig und entschlossen sind und eine Bestandsaufnahme des angespannten Zustands der Welt vornehmen, ohne der Verzweiflung zu verfallen. Blakes warme, von Orgelklängen untermalte Midtempo-Ballade ,Day In The Sun" und Raymond McGinleys ,Over And Over" sprechen beide davon, wie jeder einen neuen Sinn im Leben finden kann, indem er sein Herz öffnet. "Wir können immer noch fröhlich und optimistisch sein, auch wenn die Lage nicht gerade rosig ist", sagt McGinley. Blake und McGinley werden auf ,Do Not Dare To Dream" von ihren Bandkollegen Euros Childs (Keyboards und Gesang), Francis Macdonald (Schlagzeug) und David McGowan (Bass) begleitet. Dieses Quintett spielt nun schon so lange zusammen, dass keiner der beiden Hauptsongwriter und Gitarristen von Teenage Fanclub das Bedürfnis verspürt, sich vor dem Gang ins Studio über ihre Songs den Kopf zu zerbrechen oder Arrangements auszuarbeiten. Sie warten lieber auf die Beiträge der übrigen Bandmitglieder. Die Aufnahmen fanden im Black Bay Studio in der Ortschaft Kirkibost auf der schottischen Insel Great Bernera in den Äußeren Hebriden statt. Wie langjährige Fans wahrscheinlich wissen, nimmt Teenage Fanclub jedes Album an einem neuen Ort auf, damit die einzigartige Atmosphäre dieses Ortes die Musik beeinflussen kann. Great Bernera war ihr bislang abgelegenster Aufnahmeort, was der Band half, sich auf die Arbeit zu konzentrieren, sie aber auch in einen Zustand der Ehrfurcht versetzte, da sie von der tosenden See und antiken Ruinen umgeben waren. Das Ergebnis ist eine Sammlung von Liedern, die von der richtigen Perspektive von Musikern durchdrungen ist, die schon eine Weile im Geschäft sind, aufgenommen an einem Ort, der schon noch länger existiert. Wie Blake es ausdrückt: ,Ich glaube, es läuft einfach so ab, dass man von einer Sache zur nächsten übergeht, und ehe man sich versieht, sind 30 Jahre vergangen." McGinley fügt hinzu: ,Ja, es ist schon eine ganze Weile her, seit wir mit dem angefangen haben, was wir tun, aber für uns kommt es uns vor, als wäre überhaupt keine Zeit vergangen. An dem Ort, an dem wir das Album aufgenommen haben, wurde schon vor Tausenden von Jahren gesungen. Das Leben ist kurz, aber die Musik ist ewig."

Norman Blake und Raymond McGinley machen seit 37 Jahren gemeinsam Musik bei Teenage Fanclub, und auch wenn manche Aspekte des Bandlebens mit der Zeit einfacher geworden sind, können ihnen die einfachsten Dinge immer noch einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen. Blake sagt dazu: "Es ist schwierig, wenn es darum geht, sich einen Namen für ein Album auszudenken. Vor allem, wenn man schon 12 davon gemacht hat." Der Titel ,Do Not Dare To Dream" leitet sich ab von Blakes ,I Do Not Dare To Dream", einem mitreißenden, hymnischen Song, der von klangvollen Akustikgitarren getragen und am Ende von einem Duell elektrischer Gitarren begleitet wird, die sich wie eine beruhigende Umarmung umeinander schlingen. Blake erklärt, dass der Titel jene Memes verspotten soll, die die Menschen dazu auffordern, zu träumen, was für ihn irgendwie lächerlich ist. "Ich glaube nicht, dass die Welt so funktioniert." Das 13. Album von Teenage Fanclub ist voller Songs, die ruhig und entschlossen sind und eine Bestandsaufnahme des angespannten Zustands der Welt vornehmen, ohne der Verzweiflung zu verfallen. Blakes warme, von Orgelklängen untermalte Midtempo-Ballade ,Day In The Sun" und Raymond McGinleys ,Over And Over" sprechen beide davon, wie jeder einen neuen Sinn im Leben finden kann, indem er sein Herz öffnet. "Wir können immer noch fröhlich und optimistisch sein, auch wenn die Lage nicht gerade rosig ist", sagt McGinley. Blake und McGinley werden auf ,Do Not Dare To Dream" von ihren Bandkollegen Euros Childs (Keyboards und Gesang), Francis Macdonald (Schlagzeug) und David McGowan (Bass) begleitet. Dieses Quintett spielt nun schon so lange zusammen, dass keiner der beiden Hauptsongwriter und Gitarristen von Teenage Fanclub das Bedürfnis verspürt, sich vor dem Gang ins Studio über ihre Songs den Kopf zu zerbrechen oder Arrangements auszuarbeiten. Sie warten lieber auf die Beiträge der übrigen Bandmitglieder. Die Aufnahmen fanden im Black Bay Studio in der Ortschaft Kirkibost auf der schottischen Insel Great Bernera in den Äußeren Hebriden statt. Wie langjährige Fans wahrscheinlich wissen, nimmt Teenage Fanclub jedes Album an einem neuen Ort auf, damit die einzigartige Atmosphäre dieses Ortes die Musik beeinflussen kann. Great Bernera war ihr bislang abgelegenster Aufnahmeort, was der Band half, sich auf die Arbeit zu konzentrieren, sie aber auch in einen Zustand der Ehrfurcht versetzte, da sie von der tosenden See und antiken Ruinen umgeben waren. Das Ergebnis ist eine Sammlung von Liedern, die von der richtigen Perspektive von Musikern durchdrungen ist, die schon eine Weile im Geschäft sind, aufgenommen an einem Ort, der schon noch länger existiert. Wie Blake es ausdrückt: ,Ich glaube, es läuft einfach so ab, dass man von einer Sache zur nächsten übergeht, und ehe man sich versieht, sind 30 Jahre vergangen." McGinley fügt hinzu: ,Ja, es ist schon eine ganze Weile her, seit wir mit dem angefangen haben, was wir tun, aber für uns kommt es uns vor, als wäre überhaupt keine Zeit vergangen. An dem Ort, an dem wir das Album aufgenommen haben, wurde schon vor Tausenden von Jahren gesungen. Das Leben ist kurz, aber die Musik ist ewig."

Creole Culture is the triumphant return of Dawn Richard’s King Creole era. Steeped in history but with its flag planted firmly in the future, Creole Culture pulls elements from Richard’s heritage as a Black and Native American woman who has spent a lifetime making and engaging with music. Following New Breed (2019) and Second Line (2021), Creole Culture is akin to a panel of a triptych: a fully-realized sonic and narrative universe in which Richard, as King Creole, rebuilds her hometown of New Orleans in her image. She not only honors her city for what it was or what it gave her, but stakes a claim for it as a cradle of global culture now and for all time.


Creole Culture follows two acclaimed avant-garde R&B albums with composer Spencer Zahn — the later of which, 2024’s Quiet in a World Full of Noise, found Richard exorcising the specters of grief and trauma in the wake of her father Frank Richard’s health struggles and the killing of her cousin Cisco. It is a softer take on the brass-soaked swagger of Richard’s previous King Creole efforts, an evolution brought about when she realized she had left a crucial viewpoint out of her exploration of New Orleans: her own. “New Breed was the story of New Orleans through my father’s eyes,” Richard explains. “I used his samples, his music, his cultures, his work with Chocolate Milk, his side of the family. Second Line was my mom — her interludes riddled the album with her depiction of what is meant to be a Creole woman in New Orleans. The masculine and feminine sides of King Creole had expressed themselves through them, but the story felt unfinished, like my version of the story was untold.”
That story is, for lack of a better word, complex: at turns triumphant and tragic, sexy and mournful, braggadocious and contemplative. Creole Culture presents Richard’s New Orleans as a utopian soundscape — an intoxicating blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and jazz — that’s survived and thrived despite the dystopian circumstances visited upon it. Richard presents the melange of influence and artifact on Creole Culture with the care of a botanist nurturing new hybrids in a rose garden.


What emerges from that care is at once delightful and unexpected, enlisting a crew of guest stars including Big Freedia, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, and Durand Bernarr for features that play against type. Tank’s turn at spoken word verse on “l v r” serves to add dimension to King Creole’s New Orleans, as does Joseph’s undeniable voice on “chuuuurch.” “I’m not normally a features girl,” says Richard, ”but King Creole can’t build a world from scratch without help. What’s beautiful about the features here — which is also true of my band and producers — is they come from people who understand the materials of the world they’re from, they’re people I love, and they’re people who are just extraordinary at what they do. They’re part of the atmosphere of this place. You need them for the record to breathe.”
In the end, that’s what King Creole creates: a space where Dawn Richard can breathe, can be at peace with herself, and let loose with others. From finding love in opening single “enough” to relishing in the Afrocaribbean futurism of “fiesta,” Creole Culture is a tremendous, freeing breath of fresh air. It captures the resolve of a woman and a place who’ve survived the unimaginable and sees the future not as something to be endured, but as something to be created. Dawn Richard has been making that future one album at a time over the course of her career. Creole Culture is her most stunning one yet.